Lake Kivu, an East African rift valley lake, is generally characterized by gentle gradients, and small, isolated anomalies of 50 - 100 gammas amplitude. Lineated anomalies do not occur except in association with Cenozoic volcanics. In the Northern Basin, which is probably Pliocene in age, the well-bedded sediments average about 300 m in thickness, exceeding 500 m in places. Elsewhere in the lake, the sediment thickness averages only about 100 m. Sonobuoy refraction studies show that the basement underlying the sedimentary column is composed of material having a compressional wave velocity of 5.3 – 5.4 km, probably representative of sialic plutonic or metamorphic rock.

The geophysical data in Lake Kivu is consistent with the idea that it is at a stage of volcanic and hydrothermal activity following graben formation. Evidence for sea-floor spreading is not observed, but this tectonic process may be in a nascent stage of development.

Partner organisations:

The Nile Basin Discourse Forum in Rwanda

Contact person: Frank Habineza, National Coordinator

Organisation Pour la Defence de L'environnement au Burundi

Contact person: Jaccqueline Ntukamazina, Coordinator of the Projects